Process and apparatus for hydrocarbon oil conversion



May 19, 1931. L. c. HUFF 1,806,063

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR HYDROCARBON OIL CONVERSION Filed Jan. 21, 1926 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 19, 1931. L. c. HUFF 1,806,063

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR HYDROCARBON OIL CONVERSION Filed Jan. 21, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 19, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI LYMAN C. HUFF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL OIL PRCDUCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTHDAKOTA PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR HYDROCARBON OIL CONVERSION Application filed January 21, 1926. Serial No. 82,640.

This invention relates to improvements in process and apparatus for hydrocarbon oil conversion, and refers more particularly to the heating of hydrocarbon charging stocks of high gravity to cause substantial vaporization of the lighter fractions thereof, which lighter fractions are condensed and collected as commercial products of lower gravity.

The specific embodiment of the present invention resides in the subjection of the liquid hydrocarbon charging stock to direct contact with a regulated flame, to cause a most efficient transfer of the heat units to the oil, thus eliminating bulky furnaces, stacks and the like.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view illustrating a complete layout of an oil treating plant incorporating my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view through the heating furnace.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on lines 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view showing the method of inserting the burner into the tube through which the oil passes. Referring more in detail to the drawings, 1 designates a charging stock pump communicating with any source of supply, and forcing the charging stock through the line 2 controlled by the valve 3 either into the line 4 controlled by valves 5,

which discharge said charging stock directly into the dephlegmator 6 or through the charging line 7 controlled by the valve 8 which may discharge all or a portion of the charging stock directly into the tubes 9 mounted in a box or housing 10. The oil after passing through the continuous tubes 9 is discharged through the transfer line 11 in which may be interposed the throttle valve 12 and pressure gau 13 discharging said heated charglng stoci into the upper portion of a vertically disposed expansion chamber 14 mounted on a suitable support 15, provided with upper manhole plate 16 and lower manhole plate, not shown. This vertical chamber is preferably unheated, but may be insulated against the radiation of heat as shown at 17. Liquid residue drawofis 18 controlled by valves 19 may be tapped into the side of the expansion chamber 14 at various heights. The vapors leaving the expansion chamber 14 pass out through the line 20 into the line 21 in which may be interposed the throttle valve 22, pressure gauge 23 and safety valve 24. This line 21 discharges the vapors into the lower portion of a dephlegmator, fractionating tower, or reflux condenser 6. These vapors will travel upwardly, being obstructed in their upward travel by means of any suitable baflles or other retarding elements 25. The vapors in their upward course, are subjected to physical contact with any suitable cooling medium such for instance, as part or all of the charging stock which may be introduced as hereinafter described, directly into the upper portion of the dephlegmator through the line 4. The vapors remaining uncondensed, passing through the dephlegmator 6 may pass out through the line 26 controlled by valve 27 through the heat interchanger 28, line 29 controlled by valve 30, through condenser coil 31 through valve 32 into-receiver 33 where'they are collected as a condensed liquid. This receiver 33 may be provided with the gas relief pipe 34 controlled by valve 35, and with liquid drawofi' pipe 36 controlled by valve 37. It may also be provided with pressure gauge 38, safety valve 39, and the usual liquid level or sight gauge, not shown. Instead of withdrawing all of the condensed products from the receiver 33 through the line 36, a portion of it may be diverted through the line 40in which may beinterposed a pump 41 and valve 42 for returning a portion of the condensed product to the upper portion of the dephlegmator to act as an auxiliary cooling medium to the charging .stock introduced to the line 4. Its use however, is optional. It may be desirable to preheat all or a portion of the charging stock, and if so, it may be diverted from the line 4 through the line 45 controlled by the valve 46 into the heat interchanger 28, and may be connected again into the line 4 through the line '47 controlled by the valve 48 or the valve 48 may be closed and the valve 44 in line 43 opened, which will return all or a portion of the charging stock to the line 7 which charges directly through the heating tubes.

Now as a feature of the present invention, and referring more particularly to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the heating tubes 9 comprise continuous lengths of tubing connected by the usual return bent portions. Inserted into both ends of each length of tube are fuel burners designated in Fig. 2 as 49 controlled by valve 50. In detail each tube 9 may be swedged into a header 51 having connection through a communication 52 with a similar header on the next length of pipe. The end of.the header 51 may be closed by the cap or plug 52. The end of each cap 52 is apertured to receive the pipe 49 through which the fuel is introduced into the tube. In the discharge end of this pipe there is located a fire screen 53. There is also inserted in the end of the cap 52 adjacent the aperture heretofore described, electric Wires 54 suitably insulated, terminating in a spark gap 55. These wires 54 and spark gap 55 are insulatedby means of the tube 56 which may be of porcelain.or the like. The tube 9 may be provided with spiral channels 57 for the purpose of whirling the oil to cause violent agitation as it passes the flames emitting from the burner.

Each tube is separated and insulated by means of the insulating powder or other refractory material 58. The housing or shell 10 is preferably closed bymeans of the removable doors 59. An auxiliary fire screen 60, check valve 61 and throttle valve 62 may be connected to the fuel inlet line 49.

From the foregoing, it will be immediately apparent that the oil passing through the tubes is heated progressively by the various burners to the proper cracking temperature. The fuel used in the burner is preferably a gas with which is mixed the proper proportion of air. A spark gap is positioned at the tip of the burner for igniting the fuel.

ere are at the present time several automatic gas systems on the market which can properly proportion and mix the gas and air so that the highest degree of efficiency is obtained from combustion of the fuel.

In Fig. l I have shown one form of apparatus which may be used in connection with preparing the fuel, comprising the gas tank 63,

gas blower or compressor 64, air blower 65, mixer 66, low pressure prepared fuel tank 67 compressor or pump 68, high pressure prepared fuel tank 69, prepared fuel line communicating with the fuel inlet lines 49. A1r in the exact proportion required, is mixed with the gas and charged into the high pressure receiver 69. From the receiver 69 it is fed into the burners through lines 7 O and 49 through the check valve 61 and fire screen chamber 60. This fire screen chamber 60 is provided to prevent back firing through the lines, and there is preferably another fire screen chamber adjacent the tip of the burner.

By preparing the fuel in this manner, it can be ignited and burned while submerged in a liquid.

The reflux condensate may be returned.

is heated by direct contact with the flames from the burner. It is a well known fact that directly bringing the gases of combustion into contact with the liquid, is the most eflicient way of heating said liquid. The tubes in the heater shown in Fig. 2 may be smaller in number and short in length.

The proportions of air and fuel are so regulated that no substantial combustion of the hydrocarbon oil being treated will take place.

The process and apparatus may be maintained under a superatmospheric pressure, say from three to several hundred pounds, and it may be operated at atmospherlc pressure or even under a vacuum. The temperatures to which the oil is heated may be varied at will say from 750 to 925 F. more or less depending upon the character of oil being treated, and the products desired.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a process for the pyrogenetic conversion of hydrocarbon oils from higher boiling point oils to lower boiling point products, the improvement in the step of heating the oil to a cracking temperature which comprises flow of the oil at spaced intervals along said passageway, and effecting combustion of said fluid at the spaced points of introduction.

3. In a process for cracking hydrocarbon o l,'the improvement in the step of heating the oil to a cracking temperature which comprises introducing the oil under a superatmospheric pressure to the inlet of an elongated heating conduit, rais ng the oil, during its passage through said conduit, to a cracking temperaforcing the oil under mechanically applied ture by'maintaining a controlled combustion of fluid introduced axially to said conduit at spaced intervals throughout the length thereof.

4. An improved method for heating hydrocarbon oil in a cracking process comprising introducing the oil, under a superatmospherio pressure, to the inlet of a heating coil having a straight portion, raising the oil, during its passage through said coil, to a cracking temperature by maintaining a controlled combustion of fluid introduced to said coil at an end of said straight portion.

5. An improved method for heating hydrocarbon oil in a cracking process, comprising introducing the oil, under a superatmospheric pressure, to the inlet of an elongated heating coil, injecting combustible fluids into said coil in the direction of flow of said oil therethrough and efi'ecting combustion of said fluid therein, and raising said oil to cracking temperature during its passage through said coil.

LYMAN C. HUFF. 

